Malthus and the obstacles to geometric growth (1798)

Abstract

In 1798 Malthus published An Essay on the Principle of Population, in which he argued that the supply of food could not follow for a long period of time the natural tendency of human populations to grow exponentially. If the population remained relatively constant, this was because a great part of mankind was suffering from food shortage. Malthus saw the “principle of population” as an argument against the writings of Godwin and Condorcet, which emphasized progress in human societies. Malthus’ essay influenced the theory of evolution of Darwin and Wallace and was criticized by Marx, but was put into practice with the Chinese one-child policy.